JHK & John Norquist talk New Urbanism

This episode features a conversation between JHK and CNU President and former Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist and was recorded before a live audience during the Congress for the New Urbanism in West Palm Beach, Fla. this May 9-12. Kunstler and Norquist field questions from audience members on a variety of New Urbanist topics.

[Note: The server that hosts our media files was down yesterday for an extended time and was not accepting file uploads. The problem was resolved at approx. 11:30 p.m. – DC]

JHK & Duncan at Union College Humanities Seminar

James Howard Kunstler and Duncan Crary record a podcast before a live student audience at Union College, in Schenectady, N.Y. As part of a Humanities Super Seminar on liberal arts and activism, the students read The KunstlerCast book. In this segment, students ask questions out the future of the Internet, concentrating poverty and wealth in New York City and how individuals can face the enormous issue of rearranging how we live in our human habitat.

“The Heirloom,” by Richard Davies, explores a post peak world where a group of Native Americans comes to terms with a dangerous and chaotic world. Guy McPherson, of Nature Bats Last, says, “Ultimately, The Heirloom is a wide-ranging tale about the human experience. It is about life, love, death, honor, and people struggling to make their way in a world not of their choosing.”

JHK & Duncan at Union College Humanities Seminar

James Howard Kunstler and Duncan Crary record a podcast before a live student audience at Union College, in Schenectady, N.Y. As part of a Humanities Super Seminar on liberal arts and activism, the students read The KunstlerCast book. During the podcast Jim and Duncan riff on college architecture and the Union campus before opening up the discussion to questions from the class. Topics include: the value of a liberal arts education in The Long Emergency, monocultures concentrating poverty in the built environment, the prospects for restoring passenger rail in North America and more. Along the way Jim also delivers a call to millennial students to renounce their student loans.

“The Heirloom,” by Richard Davies, explores a post peak world where a group of Native Americans comes to terms with a dangerous and chaotic world. Guy McPherson, of Nature Bats Last, says, “Ultimately, The Heirloom is a wide-ranging tale about the human experience. It is about life, love, death, honor, and people struggling to make their way in a world not of their choosing.”

Light Pollution, the Printed Page v. the Screen & More

JHK fields listeners calls about the healthcare industry and its future in the Long Emergency, the validity of peak oil, cognitive ability to retain information from a computer screen vs. the printed page, and light pollution.

“The Heirloom,” by Richard Davies, explores a post peak world where a group of Native Americans comes to terms with a dangerous and chaotic world. Guy McPherson, of Nature Bats Last, says, “Ultimately, The Heirloom is a wide-ranging tale about the human experience. It is about life, love, death, honor, and people struggling to make their way in a world not of their choosing.”

David Brooks Does a 180 on Suburbia

In this episode, James Howard Kunstler and Duncan Crary go through the KunstlerCast listener mail bag. Topics include: David Brooks’s recent 180 on the “wonders” of suburbia, the Zeitgeist movement, the fate of ebooks, home maintenance during The Long Emergency, rural Illinois and other topics.

Join CNU in West Palm Beach, FL this year May 9-12, for the 20th anniversary event of the Congress for the New Urbanism. Confirmed speakers include Richard Florida, Sprawl Repair Manual author Galina Tachieva, retail guru Robert Gibbs, Fighting Traffic author Peter Norton, Peter Calthorpe, Lizz Plater-Zyberk, Jaime Correa, Andres Duany and many more speakers being added every day.

Go to www.cnu20.org and register now to take advantage of early registration rates.

JHK Answers Questions From Listener Callers

JHK and Duncan get caught up on listener calls. Question topics include: Phoenix vs. Georgia; repealing the gas tax, The Long Descent, the downgrading of America and why aren’t there any African-American characters in Jim’s World Made By Hand novels. One listener also shares a bizarre and raunchy consipiracy theory.

KunstlerCast Get together in Buffalo
October 19, 2011
8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Pearl Street Grille and Brewery
67 Pearl St., Buffalo, NY
Cost: Free
In conjunction with a party hosted by the Buffalo Young Preservationists. For info and to RSVP: click here.
During National Preservation Conference

Car Dependency and the American National Character

A listener asks if American’s cherished value of spontaneity is inextricably bound to car dependency. JHK shares his thoughts on the American National Character and how it may change during The Long Emergency. Topics include: Alexis de Tocqueville, Carmageddon, Convenience, Car Sharing.

At The Sanctuary for Independent Media

JHK and Duncan visit The Sanctuary for Independent Media, an old church in North Central Troy NY which has been repurposed as community media space. After a public lecture, JHK takes questions from the audience on a variety of urban planning and energy topics.

This week’s sponsor is The Congress for the New Urbanism, the nation’s leading advocacy organization dedicated to promoting walkable, mixed-use neighborhood development, sustainable communities and healthier living conditions.

Suburbia is Empowered by the Numbers

The 2010 U.S. Census figures have led to a newly empowered suburban electorate. But the figures also indicate that several major U.S. cities are increasing in population at their cores. JHK offers some analysis.

This week’s sponsor is The Congress for the New Urbanism, the nation’s leading advocacy organization dedicated to promoting walkable, mixed-use neighborhood development, sustainable communities and healthier living conditions.

This week’s sponsor is PostPeakLiving.com, offering online courses that prepare you for a post-peak world. Enroll now in the UnCrash Course, Sustainable Post-Peak Livelihoods, Navigating the Coming Chaos, Introduction to Sustainable Gardening or Chickens 101. Find out more at: http://postpeakliving.com.

The Last Roll of the Dice

James Howard Kunstler examines the last ditch effort of some states to try to generate revenue through casinos. Kunstler believes gambling is a marginal activity that states should not be pushing into the mainstream. Also featured in this episode is a short clip from JHK’s one hour interview on KBOO public radio in Portland, Ore. Check out JHK’s Book Tour Schedule” http://www.kunstler.com/sched.phpListener Caller Line: 1-(866) 924-9499 toll-free

Personal Lifestyle Choices

A listener asks what other ways average folks can combat sprawl without becoming a professional urban planner. JHK shares the story of his personal choice in 1970s to leave the big city and consciously live in a small American town with a livable urban fabric.

Support for the KunstlerCast comes from Post Carbon Institute, the world’s leading think tank dedicated to getting society off fossil fuels fast. PCI is proud to have James Howard Kunstler as a valued advisor–joining Richard Heinberg, Bill McKibben, Majora Carter, Rob Hopkins and 25 other Fellows in leading the transition to a more resilient world. Learn more at http://PostCarbon.org.

Is JHK Daniel?

On today’s podcast, James Howard Kunstler answers questions from the cast members and audience after the staged reading of “Big Slide,” an original three-act play by James Howard Kunstler. An audience member asks Kunstler if his character “Tom” was meant to be an African-American. A cast member asks if the character “Daniel” is named after the biblical prophet and if perhaps “Daniel” is actually Jim himself. Another castmember asks why he chose theater for as a medium for this story.

“Big Slide” was first performed as a staged reading on January 9, 2010 in Rochester, NY, as part of the Multi-use Community Cultural Center’s American Playwright series. The event was introduced by James Howard Kunstler and recorded by KunstlerCast host/producer Duncan Crary.

Purchase Big Slide e-Book

“Big Slide” is now selling as a 116 page e-book (.PDF), and is also available for your Kindle device or iPhone. For more information and a description of “Big Slide,” visit: http://www.kunstler.com/BigSlide.

There will be a staged-reading of James Howard Kunstler’s play, “Big Slide” this Jan. 9 at the Multi-use Community Cultural Center in Rochester NY. The playwright will introduce the show, which begins a 7:30 p.m. Admission is pay what you can. For information, visit: http://muccc.org

Beyond Fast Food Nation

In this week’s episode, listener Frank Aragona of the Agroinnovations Podcast asks James Howard Kunstler to talk about the role of food in Jim’s post-peak oil novel World Made By Hand. Although the characters in the novel must overcome many obstacles, the food that they eat is delicious in general and is a vast improvement to the current American diet. Aragona thinks that perhaps food is the triumphant element in the novel. Kunstler talks about how horrendous spectacl and the tragic results that the fast food nation has brought about. He also speaks about the lost ceremony of eating with family and friends. Listeners also comment on the recent podcasts about Los Angeles and white rooftops.

This week’s sponsor is The Agroinnovations Podcast, covering all things related to sustainable agriculture and the world-wide local food movement. Featuring interivews on fair trade, conservation, permaculture, and healthy alternatives to factory farming. Learn more and listen at http://agroinnovations.com/podcast.

Mitigating Climate Change & Saving Energy Costs

Professor Steven Chu, the US Energy Secretary, is advocating for people to paint their rooftops white in order to save on energy and to cut down on global warming. James Howard Kunstler reacts to this idea and also addresses the topic of rooftop gardens, or “green” roofs.

The Diminishing Returns of Information Technology

James Howard Kunstler believes that stupid Americans are exerting their political and cultural tyranny over the rest of us. No other society has produced a larger group of stupid people with as much money and means to express their thoughts, pleasures, ideas, biases, delights, and hatreds in things that can be broadcast, built or in some way imposed on other people. Those who object to this situation are called elitist, he says. JHK also explores the diminishing returns of information technology and the internet.

James Howard Kunstler responds to a listener who doesn’t understand why Jim sounds kind of down on bicycle transportation. Kunstler clarifies his position on bicycles — he’s a big supporter of bicycle use, but he doesn’t know if Americans will support bicycle projects with so many highways and bridges in disrepair. While places like Amsterdam have excellent bicycle facilities that are integrated into their urban fabric, Kunstler believes the most successful bicycle facilities in the U.S. are separate from the street pattern. He also warns of overly ambitious, high tech plans regarding bicycle trail projects. Lastly he discusses New York City’s recent plans to turn a portion of Broadway into a bicycle/pedestrian way and the bicycle sharing program in Paris. A listener call from a former student of Frank Lloyd Wright defends and clarifies Wright’s feelings about cities.

Sponsor:Sponsorship for this podcast comes from the Congress for the New Urbanism, the nation’s leading forum dedicated to advancing urbanism and promoting alternatives to sprawl. CNU’s 17th annual Congress will be in Denver, June 10-14. For information and to register, visit:www.cnu.org.Additional support for this program comes from Audible. For a free audiobook download, visit:www.audiblepodcast.com/kunstler

Listeners React to Previous Podcasts

In this short podcast, James Howard Kunstler returns briefly to the topic of New Orleans. This time he discusses the future of the Port of New Orleans. In the second half of this program, we hear from listeners around the country. One listener from New Orleans doesn’t think Jim gave her city a fair shake. She says New Orleans is everything new urbanists want in a community — street cars, walkable streets and places worth caring about — except it’s old urbanism, not new urbanism. Other listeners respond to the virtual tour of Paris, healthcare and population decline, Jim and Duncan’s encounter with the Mayor of Troy, finding meaningful work in the new economy and the recent space shuttle blast off.

The Future of North American Shipping

James Howard Kunstler responds to a listener question about the future of water transportation in North America. There is a fabulous inland waterway system in North America that is going to become very important again. But, if we want to remain serious about trade in this country we are going to have to rebuild the infrastructure for water and rail transportation. All of those waterfronts where we’ve been building theme parks, condominium clusters and picnic grounds in recent times will have to make room for the warehouses, piers and sleazy accommodations for the sailors that are required by water transit.

How not to be a crybaby, clown or passive consumer of hope

James Howard Kunstler is not a hope dispenser to passive consumers of hope. But ultimately he believes that life is moving into a more favorable phase, even if it will be difficult to get there. In this show Kunstler responds to a listener call about our moral responsibility to do the right thing and fix our country. He talks about the importance of cultivating joy in one’s life and doing meaningful work. He also shares his thoughts on Sen. Barack Obama’s hopeful message and discusses how his own mood has changed since he first wrote The Geography of Nowhere.

Jiminy Cricket, Cargo Cults, Prayer & Other Ways to Get Something for Nothing

Religious activists are praying at Washington DC gas stations for cheaper fuel. James Howard Kunstler says that type of neurotic behavior isn’t much different than the behavior of cargo cults in the South Pacific. The concept of getting something for nothing is widely accepted by American culture, and religion, too. But Jim feels spirituality in America might one day evolve into something worthy of more respect than the Jiminy Cricket, consumerist culture of today’s suburban mega churches.

The Golden Gate City, and other places Jim actually likes

A listener from San Francisco, who admits to suffering excessive civic pride for his hometown, asks James Howard Kunstler to critique The Golden Gate City and to speak about some of the other places in America that Jim actually likes. Kunstler acknowledges that San Francisco does a lot of things right. But it bends over for the car, and many of the streets are poorly detailed. He also warns that the city’s plan to erect seven new skyscrapers is ill fated. We close the show with the seven or so cities in America that Jim likes best.

What awaits the Kiwis as the oil runs out?

A listener from New Zealand asks James Howard Kunstler what peak oil holds in store for his island nation. The picture isn’t pretty. Kunstler says the Kiwis better watch their backs. China, Japan and even Australia could all pose threats to New Zealand as they face shortages in the new energy future. At the end of the program, a cast of listeners sounds off. We hear from a black man in Queens who is not African-American, a former Long Island nanny, and an urban planner from Canada who asks Jim to lay off the planners, dude.

Life after oil in small cities

A listener from Canada asks if small cities will be willing and able to absorb more people after peak oil makes big city life problematic. James Howard Kunstler believes that many small cities across North America are waiting to be reactivated. These places would benefit from having more people living in them. But in order to prepare for returning populations, they will need to return to a much smaller increment of development.

Transit, building and behavior as oil prices rise

James Howard Kunstler takes questions on personal rapid transit, sustainable green buildings and the happy motoring program in America. He also scolds us for us referring to ourselves as consumers. This show is the result of a special collaboration between The KunstlerCast and Planetizen, the online network for professional planners.

Cities are not just for the poor

A listener from Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. wants to know about the ethics of gentrification. What happens to the poor people who get pushed out of the cities when wealthier people move in? James Howard Kunstler addresses how abnormal it is that American city centers are primarily inhabited by poor people. Jim and Duncan also touch upon the racial dimensions of gentrification.

Featuring: Planetizen, The Planning & Development Network

James Howard Kunstler is one of the most vocal critics of modern urban planning. So it’s only fair that in this show Jim fields some questions from the professional planning community. First off, the planners want to know how Jim answers to critics who challenge him on his lack of professional credentials in the planning and architecture fields. Next, a planning professor wants to know: what is the most important thing that cities can do to most improve the quality of the built environment? This show is the result of a special collaboration between The KunstlerCast and Planetizen, the online network for professional planners.

Arizona after cheap oil + alternative fuel fantasies

A listener from Flagstaff, Ariz. wants to know what fate awaits his town in the post oil future. The verdict from Jim? At least it’s not Phoenix, but most of Flagstaff looks like the service road around Newark Airport. The caller also asks about the new Honda hydrogen fuel cell car, which reminds Jim to bash so-called environmentalist Amory Lovins’ fantasy to keep the motoring scene going at all costs.

The Seattle Public Library and other award-winning disastrous architecture

How and why did Seattle build that hideous new public library? asks one listener from that city. James Howard Kunstler tells us how cities get hoodwinked into a status fashion contest to have a museum or library built by one of the celebrity architects of the day. Rem Koolhass, Frank Gehry, Peter Eisenman and others are deliberately designing these disastrous, anxiety-inducing mothership UFOs in order to mystify people into thinking they’re supernaturally brilliant. And then we’re stuck with these Gillette Blue Blade-clad fun houses for decades.

Retooling parking in Columbus, Ohio

A listener from Columbus, Ohio shares the bad news about two proposed downtown parking garages. Even though James Howard Kunstler thinks the happy motoring scene in America is on the way out, he explains how to design a better parking garage with first-floor retail, a central lightwell and taller ceilings. The Europeans have a better solution, though: the car club.